Trust Is the New Currency: How Contentworks Helps Finance Brands Earn and Keep It

In a heavily regulated landscape, trust has become the most valuable asset a financial brand can own.

As fintech, forex, banking, and blockchain companies navigate a minefield of regulatory challenges, scams, and consumer scepticism, UK content marketing agency Contentworks Agency has emerged as the go-to partner for building and maintaining that essential trust.

The Erosion of Trust in the Financial Sector

The global financial industry has experienced a series of high-profile scandals that have shaken consumer confidence. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 56% of people worldwide trust financial services companies, making it one of the least trusted sectors. With the rise of online transactions, decentralised finance, and anonymous crypto wallets, consumers are more cautious than ever before.

When trust is lost, the consequences are immediate and often devastating:

FTX Collapse (2022): Over $8 billion in customer assets vanished overnight, sparking lawsuits, regulatory scrutiny, and a market-wide crypto crash. The lack of transparent communication and compliance oversight was a key contributor.
Robinhood (2021): During the GameStop trading frenzy, the platform’s decision to halt trades triggered accusations of market manipulation. The lack of clear messaging and education lost them credibility among millennial investors.
Bridging Finance Inc. (2024): The Toronto-based private lender, was placed into receivership after the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) uncovered extensive fraud and misappropriation of funds by its top executives. The OSC Tribunal ruled that the founders committed fraud, leading to investor losses estimated at over $1 billion CAD.
Big Motor Insurance Fraud Scandal (2023–2024): The Japanese car dealership had engaged in fraudulent activities across multiple locations, leading to a raid by Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) and the suspension of its insurance agent registration.

These cases underscore a powerful truth. When trust disappears, so does market share, investor confidence, and customer loyalty.

Building Trust Through Smart, Compliant Content

That’s where Contentworks Agency steps in. Specialising in content marketing for the finance and fintech industries, the agency provides end-to-end solutions designed to improve trust. Their services span whitepapers, educational articles, SEO content, PR, video scripts, social media strategies, and crisis communications. Always with a laser focus on regulation and transparency.

Charlotte Day, Creative Director at Contentworks, comments: “It’s no longer just about having the best assets or the lowest spreads. It’s about how well you communicate and demonstrate knowledge and transparency. This is especially true when the market is unpredictable and volatile.”

According to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study: Consumer trust in retail banks has significantly declined over the past two years. While overall customer satisfaction remained relatively steady, trust levels have sharply declined for the second consecutive year.

Compliance Isn’t Optional In Financial Marketing

For finance brands operating in regulated environments like the EU, UK, US, or APAC, compliance is non-negotiable. Fines for non-compliant advertising are increasing globally. In 2024 alone:

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued over £30 million in fines for misleading marketing.
In 2024, CySEC imposed a total of €2.76 million in administrative fines, with €2.12 million levied specifically against Cyprus investment firms. This enforcement action reflects CySEC’s intensified focus on compliance, including investigations into misleading promotional materials, unauthorised influencer claims and the identification of fraudulent websites.
The SEC warned crypto platforms that “deceptive marketing would not be tolerated.”
In December 2024, ASIC fined Bit Trade, the operator of Kraken in Australia, AUD 8 million for failing to comply with design and distribution obligations when offering a margin trading product without a proper target market determination.

Contentworks helps finance brands stay ahead of regulatory pitfalls with marketing strategies tailored to regional compliance requirements such as FCA, CySEC and ASIC. The agency works closely with compliance teams to ensure content does not overpromise, mislead, or violate advertising codes.

Fighting Finance Scams with Education

Over $1 trillion is lost annually to scams worldwide. The 2024 Global State of Scams report indicates that consumers lost more than $1 trillion globally to scams, underscoring the massive scale and financial impact of fraudulent activities. In 2024, Britain experienced a 12% increase in reported fraud cases, reaching a record 3.31 million incidents.

In an industry plagued by phishing schemes, investment scams, and fake forex platforms, financial marketing has a crucial role to play. By creating clear, accurate, and engaging content like explainer videos, scam awareness articles, regular email updates and step-by-step verification guides, brands can arm consumers with the knowledge they need to identify and avoid scams.

This kind of educational marketing not only helps protect users but also strengthens the credibility of the financial brand offering it.

When a major trading platform noticed a rise in fake clone sites, it partnered with UK content marketing agency Contentworks to launch a multilingual awareness campaign across its social channels, media sites and email lists, resulting in a notable increase in customer trust. Empowering users with information builds a safer ecosystem and positions the brand as a reliable authority in the financial space.

Reputation Management: The Silent Pillar of Trust

PwC’s 2024 Trust Survey reveals that brands continue to overestimate how much they are trusted by consumers. This disconnect underscores the need for financial institutions to better understand and address the factors influencing trust

In the competitive forex industry, a broker’s online reputation can be significantly influenced by review sites, which often serve as a primary source of information for potential traders. While positive reviews can enhance credibility and attract new clients, negative or manipulated reviews can severely damage a broker’s reputation. Contentworks Agency specialises in navigating this complex landscape by implementing comprehensive reputation management strategies.

These include conducting SEO audits to assess the impact of review sites on a broker’s visibility. Additionally, developing Corporate Social Responsibility and Thought Leadership strategies to promote positive narratives. Then engaging in media outreach to establish authority through respected financial publications. By proactively managing online presence and addressing negative feedback, Contentworks helps brokers maintain trust and credibility in a highly scrutinised market.

The Path Forward: Building a Trust-Centric Brand

As finance brands increasingly seek to differentiate themselves, trust will be the single most critical factor. The industry is rapidly evolving with new technologies, threats, and consumer expectations. All this requires a focus on building an authentic and trustworthy brand.

“Focusing solely on lead generation is old school” adds Charlotte. “Tomorrow’s finance brands will win and keep consumer loyalty with transparency and integrity.”